Jim Harbaugh was officially introduced as the next head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday. And during his introductory press conference, he made sure to show some love to his former team and its own newly-hired coach.

Sherrone Moore was named Harbaugh’s successor at Michigan last week. In serving as an interim coach for Harbaugh when he was suspended during the 2023 regular season, Moore showed he was the only man for the job if and when Harbaugh bolted. U-M wasted no time, and Harbaugh believes the university made the right move.

“Sherrone is the right man for the job,” Harbaugh said Thursday. “That’s the guy, and (Michigan) got it right. Much like when players leave the university, go on to the pros, there’s a passing of the baton that takes place. You see J.J. (McCarthy) leave but then I see Jayden Denegal, Alex Orji the next day on that field and throwing to receivers.

“There’s an excitement there. … It’s the same for coaches. Been talking to Sherrone. The guy is on fire right now. He’s working hard, recruiting.”

Moore spent six seasons on the Michigan staff before being elevated to the head coaching role. He was a tight ends coach and then an offensive line coach. He was a co-offensive coordinator, and then handed full control of the offense in 2023.

After helping the Wolverines to a national championship in 2023 as the leader of the offense, he’ll become the first Black head coach in program history and the seventh-youngest head coach in the FBS.

Harbaugh said Thursday he felt it was time to return to the NFL. He said he only had “so many sands left in the hourglass” and he wanted another shot.

“Michigan was great,” he said when asked if anything could have been done to keep him in Ann Arbor. “And this opportunity and challenge is what I wanted.”

A decision to leave the program would certainly be made easier if Harbaugh felt he had a strong successor lined up to take his place. In Moore, he felt he had exactly that.